Thursday, April 22, 2010

I think I am going to cheat (yes I know they are my rules, but I am not a rule follower) and present two recipes (well maybe three but one is related to the original recipe as stated by me on my facebook page... you follow me on facebook right?) for week 5 of pass it on.

Just a refresher: How it works is that each week I will be cooking one recipe from each chapter and passing it on to my friends, family and community (that is you). We started it off with Family Roast Dinners then Quick Pasta for my sister inlaw, Classic Fish, because it is easy and we eat a lot of it around here and then Homely ground Beef, strictly because this chapter scared me. Now we are on to Quick-cooking Meat & Fish and as a bonus Lovin' Salads.

My babies have been sick this week and I honestly didn't know if I was going to get a recipe done, but I wanted to carry on. It had to be quick and easy, something I could do during nap time and in between all the other stuff I have fallen behind on. This is what I chose:

Fish Baked in a Foil Parcel with Green Beans and Pesto

The first part is two recipes in one:

2 handfuls of green beans (and peas in the pod*)

2 lemons

2 x 7 ounce chunky fillets, scaled and deboned of firm fish. Jamie calls for salmon but it is halibut season and local!

2 heaped tbsp of pesto (recipe #2)

olive oil, salt & pepper.

If you are like me and forgot that you can buy pesto conveniently pre-made at the store to save time, you must make it yourself using all the fresh basil from your garden.

Chopped Pesto

1 clove of garlic

lg bunch of basil, leaves & a few smaller stalks

sm handful almonds or pine nuts

lg handful of freshly grated parmesan cheese

extra virgin olive oil

1/2 lemon

sea salt & freshly ground pepper

Start mincing garlic, add the the leaves, a couple of stalks, nuts and continue chopping. Put into a bowl, add parmesan cheese, lemon juice, olive oil and salt & pepper! Viola, tragedy adverted and now onto the rest of the recipe.

Tot's version.

Clean the green beans by chopping of the vine end, place on one yard of tin foil folded over to make two layers, place a fillet of fish over top, smear on some pesto, drizzle with olive oil, lemon juice and salt & pepper, fold foil over to close, seal on top and at both ends.

Just before dinner time preheat oven to 400f bake for 15-20 on a baking sheet, check 5 mins before you think fish is done. Let stand for a minute more before opening up! Done.

To serve, put each packet on a plate open up slowly to allow steam to release, have a couple pieces of grilled bread a slice of lemon and a salad on the side.

Part 2:

Jam Jar Yoghurt Dressing

I think I will throw a salad recipe in every now and a then, I don't think that Lovin' Salads needs it very own week.

My Fish cost my $25 (fresh halibut- it is in season!), maybe a bit much for what is essentially three servings (tots share a serving and a bit), but the beans about $3, pesto broke down to about $3 of ingredients and everything else was done with what I had at home. We are looking at about $32 for 3-4 servings or $8 a person. Time wise was faster than packing up the tots, getting in a car, picking up daddy from work and going "out" for dinner - Faster still if I had not made my own pesto- 5 mins, 2 mins to make the dressing (that is being generous), about 5 minutes to assemble packages and 21 mins to bake. While dinner was baking, I cleaned all of my cooking dishes (very little), grilled some bread, made a salad and set the table.

7 comments:

It looks great Megan! we don't do fish here but I can see a chicken breast being wonderful in one of these packets. I love packet cooking :) I can't believe we're on week 5 of Pass it ON already! WOW where has time gone?